living the Tiki lifestyle with Ray Wyland

Tiki Lifestyle

Every journey starts with a first step, but sometimes you may forget when and where that first step might have been. When it comes to the living the Tiki lifestyle, it usually starts by walking into your first Tiki bar. Then you hit another. Then you buy a Tiki mug. Then you buy another, etc.

I can remember my first Tiki bar. It was Hula Hula in Seattle, WA…

Hula Hula

The year was 2006. In theory, Hula Hula should’ve been my first step in the Tiki world, but actually, it wasn’t. My first step was at an amusement park in Pennsylvania called Knoebels Grove…

If you’re looking for cool a Hawaiian (Aloha) shirt, your search can be a little difficult. There are some stores that may sell Aloha shirts new, but usually the designs are not that cool or the material is cheap. Another route you can take on a search for a cool Aloha shirt is going to thrift or antique stores. I can tell you from my own experience that finding a shirt that is cool and actually fits from an antique shop is next to impossible, especially if you’re a bigger person.

The third and final day of Tiki Kon 2016 was what everyone had been waiting for! The last two days had been filled with awesome room parties, symposiums, and entertainment, but today we got to visit some home Tiki bars in Portland, OR!

It has been a rainy year so far up in the Pacific Northwest. It’s no joke: it rains a lot, but usually things start to get nicer by May and the weather is perfect until October. Not this year. It’s already well into July and I’m driving through one rainstorm after another on my three-hour trek down from Seattle to Portland for Tiki Kon 2016. The Tiki lifestyle is all about escapism. I’m looking forward to a weekend of Tiki drinks and entertainment, room parties, and getting to see some home Tiki bars along the way. I’ll spoil the ending: Tiki Kon 2016 was a blast and for three days I forgot that it was the middle of July and I’m still wearing a raincoat!

For our birthdays, my friends and I take each other out for dinner. We have been doing this for many years. I personally don’t need anything and having a night out with friends is the best gift ever. Instead of taking me out to dinner this year, my friends Kim and Gregg decided to take me out for Tiki drinks. That was fine with me!

There are key people that have made the Tiki community what it is today and what it’s going to be in the future. Right now there are three main Tiki events that happen each year. One of those events is Tiki Kon and Greg Clapp is the man who puts it all together.

Tiki Kon takes place in Portland, OR, and has been going on for fourteen years. It’s a weekend of live music and entertainment. Tiki Kon also includes Tiki symposiums, Tiki bartending competitions, and an open market for artists and vendors to sell their Tiki wares. The main event of Tiki Kon is a home Tiki bar crawl where five or so bars are visited.

I was in Portland and I had a chance to meet Greg in person and ask him a few questions…

We musicians love to talk about music. Who is the best drummer? Which is the first punk band, the Sex Pistols or the Ramones? Who is better, the Beatles or the Stones? We can debate these important topics for hours, but there is one thing we all mostly agree on: Jimi Hendrix is the best guitar player ever.

I think most people will agree, but I think it brings up a more important question: why is Hendrix considered the best?